Forte of the Opera
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Cherry is severely antisocial and depressed since no one talks to her or cares to even listen to her, so her parents get her to take voice and music lessons from Maestro Forte to cheer her up. Only, she doesn't seem to really care about his existence or his concern for her even when he has a hidden emotion from her.
1. The Talk

**A/N: Another Forte story set in high school days, I know it seems random and sudden to have them here but please don't flame me.**

* * *

Cherry was at home after school as usual. She had no friends to keep her busy, not a very healthy, social life. She usually used her hours after school occupied with her computer with no other human interaction. Bud, Michelle and Mike noticed this and were worried about her well-being and worried she was severely anti-social. They heard from Forte that she told him that she was very shy and quiet. She often didn't get along well with other students and he wanted to help, only if they approved. Forte sat in the kitchen table of the church with Bud and Michelle across from them.

"I want to help her in any way I can," Forte told them both with his arms crossed, looking them both in the blue and brown eyes of their faces. "She was always a very delicate child when I dealt with her."

"When you dealt with her?" Bud asked.

"Yes," Forte nodded. "During the enchantment she was at the castle with Belle, I would watch after her, be a father figure. I let her sleep in my nice, warm bed."

"That was kind of you, Maestro." Michelle smiled.

"I know..." Forte smirked as he remembered Cherry as a child.

"Maybe you could work at her school as a counselor and keep an eye on her?" Bud suggested.

"That won't work, Cherry hates it when she's called to the guidance counselor's office." Michelle turned to him. "She feels like she doesn't have free will when she's called down there."

"What does a guidance counselor do?" Forte queried.

"They're basically there to help any students who need help and advice," Michelle turned. "They're like therapists for the school board."

"I don't want to make Cerise uncomfortable..." Forte sipped his warm tea as he felt warm inside from the frostbitten chills outside in winter.

"We still think maybe you should work at the school." Michelle said.

"I'm only interested in music..." Forte shrugged.

"I remember Cherry saying something about Mrs. Hale retiring from music class and becoming a flight attendant." Bud said. "Maybe you could take that up with the schoolboard."

"Hmm..." Forte scratched his chin.

"That won't work." Michelle turned to him. "Cherry doesn't take music as an extra ciricular activity. Besides, she hates to stay after schoolhours. When I got her math and science tutoring, all she did was complain even though her grades sprouted up."

"Does she do anything when she gets home from school?" Forte asked.

"Not really." Michelle sighed.

"Most of the time she's just in her room for long hours, we even have to bring her meals to her room," Bud said. "I think she's depressed because she's such a shrinking violet."

"I was like that when I was a child," Forte looked down wearily. "We were very poor and I was abused and neglected by my older siblings. I didn't even have any friends. Except for my mentor who allowed me to play pipe organ with him. I was so advanced though that I didn't need lessons, but he let me stay with him anyway."

"Lessons?" Michelle got interested. "I took organ lessons when I was a kid in church."

"Does Cerise play any instruments?" Forte asked as he felt hopeful.

"She played recorder when she was in fourth grade, but she never had interest in taking lessons for any other instrument because she doesn't like most of the adult population around here." Bud replied.

"Perhaps, I could give her lessons, she doesn't seem to mind me." Forte laid back with his hands behind his mane-like silver hair.

"That's true, Maestro, would you like to give Cherry organ and voice lessons after school?" Michelle said.

"I would be honored," Forte smiled and shook hands with Cherry's parents. "Thank you so much."

"No, thank you." Michelle said as she and Bud left to go back to their heated home while Cherry sat in the cold darkness of her bedroom.

"Life is worth living again..." Forte said himself as the two were gone to fetch their daughter.


	2. The Theraputic

Cherry was unsurprisingly in her bedroom in the corner of her cold, gray wall. She stared up at the Michael Jackson poster she had now owned, but not even Michael's bright and shining face couldn't cheer her up. She sighed as she went back to her business of twiddling her fingers until dinner time. She would then eat, suffer in her room and then go to bed. Cherry was in the state of chronic depression because she was quiet as a church mouse. No one dare listen to the quiet girl who cries when no one is around her. Bud and Michelle knocked on the door gently and helped themselves in.

"Cherry?" Michelle said in a gentle voice as she walked over to her daughter.

Cherry looked up from her fingers and her eyes were like an injured puppy's eyes. Big, brown and dewy. "Leave me alone to die." she pleaded.

"Cherry..." Michelle knelt next to her. "Don't say things like that. We're going to give you voice lessons to cheer you up and someone really wants you to be with him." Michelle smiled. "You will be with him every day after school for an hour and for four hours on weekends."

"Why?" Cherry sounded uncaring.

"We want you to be happy." Bud told her. "I don't want to lose my little girl..."

"You won't miss me..." Cherry sighed.

"Sure we would, every day." Michelle held her. "I know you're unhappy, but please try this for us. Maestro Forte is waiting in the church across the yard for you now. He would appreciate it if you came to visit him to arrange this deal."

Cherry sighed and blew a puff of air out. She then decided to go along with it and get it over with. "Okay, I'll go..." Cherry left.

Bud and Michelle smiled as Cherry was gone out the door. The girl stared at the ground as she walked along her way to the church. The sky was as gray as her temper and mood now. She looked near death, sometimes she felt like staying in bed until she were finally dead. Cherry then lifted her head as the door opened before her and her eyes met Forte's pitch, endless, dull eyes.

"Cerise..." he whispered.

"Hey..." Cherry sighed.

"Come inside, Cerise." Forte took her hand. His hand sent shivers up and down her spine, it felt like how she had always imagined to be. Cold and clammy. He took her hand like a gentleman and led her inside the updated and improved church. Before he moved in, it was just abandoned and he made it into his home.

Cherry didn't speak back to him, she just followed him to his giant organ. Cherry felt nostalgia seeing his organ, 20 feet tall with golden, ominous pipes. The marble keyboard with the crinkly sheet music over top of it. Forte then picked her up gently and set her on the bench as he took his spot next to her. He didn't want to start until she felt comfortable enough and looked down at her.

"Do you know why you feel so depressed?" Forte asked in a cold tone.

"I don't know and I don't care." Cherry sighed.

"Cerise, there must be something bothering you."

"No."

"Please tell me..." Forte took her hands and looked into her chocolate-brown eyes.

"You wouldn't understand..."

"Cerise," Forte cleared his throat and brushed some hair behind her ear. "I have been neglected and abused by my elder siblings when I was only two days old. My father left the family since I wasn't his biological son. We were very poor and couldn't afford many pleasures and hospitality. My mother, the only one who truly loved me died of cancer when I was about to move out and go set myself out for the world. I know how hard it can be when the world is dark and cold when you are alone."

Cherry felt her eyes itch with tears as she put her hands in her face and quietly weeped. "I don't feel like anyone gets me... I'm too different from anyone else... plus I'm fat... I'm ugly!"

"You are not ugly, Cerise!" Forte gasped. "You are very lovely and adorable."

"You were right when I was younger, Maestro. Love is a deadly game and it's always game over for me." Cherry looked back up at him. "Always a Bingo and Yahtzee for everyone else, but I always get game over than everyone else..." she sniffled.

"Is that it?" Forte sounded touched. "You don't have true love?"

Cherry shook her head. "People just ignore me and hurt me inside and out... I've been eating so much because I'm bored and alone most of the time and I have to use food as entertainment! I haven't had a friend over in nearly six years since we moved!" Cherry cried into his chest as he moved his arms and gently held her.

"I see..." Forte held her close and gently stroked her hair as she bawled. "It's going to be okay, Cerise... Let it all out... I'm here for you, just as I always been, just as I always will... Why don't we start a lesson or two?"

Cherry sniffled, breaking out of the hug and nodding her head in agreement.


	3. The Reflection

Forte gave Cherry some lessons, then sent her off back home. Cherry didn't say a lot about the lessons, and that deeply worried her parents. They went to check on her as she went to her room and locked herself in yet again, they leaned on the door to hear Cherry crying herself to sleep. Bud and Michelle wanted to do something, but they knew talking to Cherry about her problems felt pointless. The next day was Saturday so Cherry was at the church at an earlier time and she went over with her black jacket, but had on her pajama pants and slippers. Forte played his music and turned to her with bewilderment.

"Ah, bon matin, Cerise." he smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

"I cried myself to sleep again..." Cherry sighed as she walked over to him.

"I'm sorry..." Forte picked her up and placed her next to him. "It's okay, Cerise... I'm here..." his breath was hot on her for an unknown to her reason.

"I know..." Cherry looked down from him and crossed her legs together.

Forte smiled at her and played a couple of notes on his keyboard. "Think of your vocal chords like notes... They have different tones, pitches and melodies... When excited, your voice can be high as a C," Forte hit one note with was very high. "Or like your father, it can be a baritone," Forte hit another key which was low and nearly vibrated the floor. "What would you fancy yourself as?"

Cherry shrugged her shoulders.

"What? What does that mean?" Forte raised an eyebrow.

"What? This?" Cherry shrugged again.

"Yes, what's that?"

"That means 'I don't know'."

"Why don't you say that then?"

"Because, if I shrug people know what I mean, if I say it they wouldn't even listen."

"I would..." Forte nearly cracked a smile. "I think you have a lovely voice."

"You're a great musician and you think I have a lovely voice..." Cherry groaned. "You must be tone-deaf."

"Not at all." Forte patted her head and pulled her close. "I am acquired for very unique tastes such as your own. That's what these lessons are for."

"Sorry Forte, but I don't think I'm worth your time." Cherry sighed.

"Stop that."

"What?"

"Beating yourself up like that. Cerise, if you let people walk over you now they're gonna walk over you for the rest of your life."

"It's started..."

"Let me tell you something," Forte cupped her face in his delicate hands. "I was always the quiet one myself, but if you remember, I grew to be quite loud as I developed and growed. I don't want you to get hurt emotionally and physically."

Cherry looked away from him.

"Come here now." Forte turned back and played some notes. "Now... Sing..."

"Oh Forte, I don't wanna make your hearing go bad..." Cherry grabbed her jacket zipper.

"Sing child, please." Forte waved a finger.

Cherry sharply sighed and swallowed hard as Forte played keyboard. She sang a song called Baby Love. Her voice cracked a couple of times, especially on the high notes. Forte didn't actually mind her faults, he admitted she needed improvement, but he loved to hear her voice. Her speaking was like professional music to his ears. Forte hummed along to her singing as he watched her. She certinately had grown since he had last saw her.

Forte remembered when she was only a 10-year-old girl and her big brown eyes full of wonder and curiosity. She was always so fragile and tender. If he was able to back at the time, he would scoop her up in his arms and hold her while she shivered from the brisk chills of late December. He knew for sure she would grow up to be a very beautiful woman. Forte stopped playing and Cherry stopped singing over the course.

"That was a lot better, Cerise," Forte told her with a sincere smile. "You need to relax your diaphragm though, don't sing from your throat."

"Diaphragm?" Cherry raised an eyebrow.

"I'll explain more later," Forte ruffled up her hair. "Just give yourself time and don't be in such a hurry, okay? I'm sure before you know it, the whole school will know who you are and know what to do when in your presence."

"You really think I could do that, Maestro?" Cherry sounded a little more confident.

"Of course I do, Cerise." Forte smiled at her and looked at the time. "Ah, have you had luncheon yet?"

"No," Cherry shook her head. "Mom and Dad left for work before I woke up and we don't have leftovers from dinner, only cold soup and sandwiches."

"How peasentish," Forte snorted. "How about I make you a proper luncheon, hmm?"

Cherry shrugged with a smile. "Okay."

Forte smiled as she smiled. He got up from the bench and went across the floor to the back part of the church, the kitchen. Cherry stared at him, then back at the keyboard. She stared at the keys and thought of her life she had a dark, gloomy cloud over her head. She didn't feel as depressed as she used to be, but she still felt unwanted and unneeded by others. She went to the bathroom to freshen up as she felt her heart ache with a song. She stared in the mirror and saw her mother style her hair up more feminine and perky to get attention from her peers.

Cherry: Look at me I will never pass for a perfect bride Or a perfect daughter Can it be

That I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see That if I were truly to be myself I would break my family's heart

Who is that girl I see Staring straight Back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know

Somehow I cannot hide Who I am Though I've tried When will my reflection show who I am inside? When will my reflection show who I am inside?

Cherry washed her hands and face as she walked out of the bathroom door. She saw Forte looking at her with a touched expression spread across his face as he had oven mitts. He looked as if he had heard an angel choir sing.

"Erm... Luncheon is prepared..." Forte visibly blushed.

"What's for lunch?" Cherry walked over to him.

"Grilled chicken and fresh rice with pinches of broccoli, cauliflower and glazed carrots..." Forte replied as he led the girl to the sweet aroma of the home cooked culinary.

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**A/N: The song reflection is owned by Disney's Mulan **


	4. The Luncheon

Forte mixed the food together to add a rich and unique taste. He had listened in on her singing while she was in the bathroom and felt like he could relate to her. They had a lot in common even if they both didn't realize it. They both hated love, loved death, doom and gloom. Forte turned to her as he watched her wait eagerly for her afternoon meal.

"So, how do you feel about yourself now?" he asked with a smile.

"A little bit better," Cherry's voice was a little louder now. "I still feel a little hurt inside though. Harsh insults hurt more than spears or shruikens to my heart."

"I understand they can be, Cerise." Forte walked over to her with a plate of the food and laid it down before her with a smile. "Please... Eat..." he kissed the tips of his fingers and made a pop noise in his mouth. "Bon appetite, cherie."

"Thank you." Cherry pushed her chair in at the table and began to eat her afternoon meal. She smiled as the inside of her mouth was salivated and tantalized by the mixed tastes and delight of the food. "Oh Maestro..." she quietly moaned.

"You like?" Forte put a hand to his mouth with a smile. "I don't often cook for others."

"It's very good, Maestro." Cherry smiled, looking up at him.

"So is your singing." Forte smirked at her.

Cherry's eyes widened.

"Oui, I heard you singing."

"Oh gosh, I must've sounded terrible!"

"You didn't, trust me, mademoiselle. You would be such a delight to listen to in the local opera house downtown."

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed.

"With my help I see you are developing."

"That's true."

"Cerise?"

"Hmm?"

"You have a heavenly voice."

"You sure you're not just saying that to make me feel better?"

"Cross my heart and hope to expire."

"Interesting wager." Cherry smirked as she finished her lunch.

Cherry and Forte spent the next hours together. Soon enough it was almost time's up and Forte really didn't want Cherry to leave. But then, Michelle came at the door with her jacket on.

"I hate to break this up, but Cherry should come back home." Michelle spoke up.

"Oh, time went by so fast." Cherry looked up at Forte. "See you tomorrow, same time, okay?"

"Of course... I'll be here..." Forte looked deep into her chocolate eyes.

"Au revoir, Maestro Forte." Cherry left out the door, seeming cheerful for once.

Forte chuckled. He couldn't help but find it cute whenever Cherry would speak French around him. He then noticed Michelle looking at him as he went to play more music to himself.

"Thank you so much, Maestro," Michelle smiled. "I never seen her so happy before."

"It was a pleasure having her and I look forward to seeing her again tomorrow." Forte told the mother of his pupil.

"Too bad you can't watch over her in school," Michelle went out the door. "You could make sure she was still happy or something..." she left after her daughter.

"School..." Forte pressed a spidery finger to his gaunt chin and scratched lightly. He still had tomorrow with her, but then it would be Monday meaning he would have to wait at least three hours to be with her again. It felt like it would be forever until he would spend more time with her. Four hours on the weekend and only one on weekdays. Forte felt more tortured than he already was remembering the time agreement between him and Cherry's parents.


	5. The Class

Cherry descended down the linoleum green halls of school, another bitter cold, gray skied Monday for all. Mostly for Cherry since she couldn't find happiness anywhere she walked. She admitted she was happier when she was with a man like Maestro Forte, even if he was as depressed as she was. Even if he haunted her innocent dreams as a child. They felt like they were the only ones who understood each other. She made her way to music class, even if she despised the music classes, she had to go anyway. She sat down and looked around anxiously as the room filled with other students who didn't know her or even care to.

Several other students bumped her. Either by accident or on purpose, either way they didn't apologize for their unruly behavior. Cherry took out a school dictionary and read it to herself. She didn't care if it was boring or pointless, it was the only way she spent her leisure during school hours. Then walked in Forte. Several whispers buzzed in the room like a hornet nest full of drones.

"Students," Forte's cold tone suspended their chatter. Cherry rose her head up to see him, wondering what he could be doing in a crapsack school like this. "Your previous music mentor has taken ill and I shall substitute. I am Maestro Forte, a court composer and a humble teacher. I have conducted several symphonies and orchestras in the past and wish to educate your music knowledge forward." Forte wrote his name in 18th century cursive and turned back to the class. "Any questions?"

Who should raise their hand first, but Cherry. "What are you doing here?" Cherry asked, the students shocked she spoke.

"I thought it would be good to teach others, I haven't given public lessons in many years." Forte replied, smirking at her emotion in her voice. "Any other questions? You, young sir?"

A boy with a farmer cap and overalls raised his hand. He laughed at the maestro's appearance. "Where'd you get those clothes? Your mom's closet?" he laughed along with everyone else.

Forte admitted that stung in his lower abdomen. They kept laughing and he sat on the bench for the piano, glowering at them. "SILENCE!" he demanded and slammed the keyboard, making a rough vibration in the room which startled everybody, except for Cherry.

"Thank you, he was working my nerve." Cherry said, folding her arms.

"Philistine much?" Forte conversed with her.

"Just wait until graduation and he's alone on a street corner wishing he had given himself over to lessons."

"You're a smart one, Cerise, I like that." Forte smiled lovingly toward her, even if she was completely oblivious toward it. "Now, on with the lesson!" Forte stood straight and wrote sheet music on the blackboard.

After an hour of music lessons, the bell rang and everyone was dismissed. Forte was collecting his sheet music and he jumped back once he noticed Cherry hadn't left and was standing right next to him.

"You know you could warn someone when you're right there." Forte straightened his back.

Cherry shrugged.

"Stop that!" he told her, sharply.

"You're not my father." Cherry snorted.

"Hey now, no one likes a snarker." Forte glared at her.

"What a shame, huh?"

"Cerise..." Forte hissed, resisting the urge to physically harm her. "You're a brilliant girl and a lot of people don't realize it because you won't let them. You need to approach people if you're the quiet one or else you'll be alone for the rest of your life." Forte then grabbed a large, round black object. "What on Earth is this?"

"It's a record," Cherry raised an eyebrow in his slowness of modern technology. "It's like a CD from the 1970s..."

"What is a CD?" Forte sounded like a child spewing out questions about everyday life.

"You're like 300 years old and you don't know what any modern technology is?" Cherry asked.

"I spent 300 years on this earth looking for you, I didn't care to educate myself on any modern conviences." Forte turned to her, looking sincere.

"And they say I'm the old-fashioned one..." Cherry grumbled under her breath.

"I'm not old!" Forte spat at her.

"Yeah, you don't look a day over 275..."

"Cerise!" Forte clenched his teeth, shutting his eyes tight. He then took a deep breath and heavily sighed. He had an idea. "Okay... Since you need vocal work and I need help on modern technology, maybe we could help each other out... as... friends..." Forte cracked a smile when he said friends.

"Friends...?" Cherry sounded touched.

"What about it, Cerise? I help you, you help me?" Forte took her delicate, soft skinned hands. He looked deep into her chocolate eyes.

Cherry looked back and for the first time in nine years, Cherry smiled and was sincere about it. "Of course, we'll help each other..." Cherry gently stroked his pale, gaunt face.

"Now, off with you, I'll see you after school." Forte gently waved her off.

"See ya later, Maestro." Cherry walked away from the mysterious man.


	6. The Lesson

Cherry came home from a typical day at school. Michelle and Bud were going to a city council meeting though for the evening and left dinner in the oven. They didn't want to force their daughter to go to a place she'd whine and gripe about and they didn't wanna leave her home by herself. They then remembered Forte at the church and invited him over to check on and look after Cherry for them since she had been more social with him lately. After Bud and Michelle had left, Cherry was about to go to her room with her thousand pound backpack with her homework assignments, but Forte was protesting against leaving her alone in her cold, dark, boring room.

"No Cerise, you may not spend the evening locked in your room," Forte demanded with a waving finger. "You are to eat your evening meal and do your school work with me."

"But Maestro, I like my room..." Cherry insisted.

"No Cerise, you are staying out with me tonight and we will interact with one another."

"Maestro..."

"It'll be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other again, now come back here and let's chat, shall we?"

Cherry groaned in defeat and dragged her backpack back toward him. Dinner was still a while away and Forte sat in the reclining chair while Cherry laid across the floor with her math book open and pencil in her hand. She looked very bored and stern with him, but she wasn't yelling or bashing against him.

"How was school for you today?" Forte broke the mind numbing silence.

"School was school, did you ever go to school?" Cherry asked, pushing her hand against her cheek.

"Non," Forte shook his head. "We couldn't afford such a thing when I was a child... My family was very poor and on the brink of lower low middle class. I was mocked mercilessly by the other children for being a poor kid. My mother worked two jobs."

"What about your father?" Cherry sat on her knees, looking at him.

"I didn't have a father growing up," Forte sharply exhaled. "He abandoned our family shortly after I was born..."

"So you were miserable since birth like I was?"

"I guess you could say that. My siblings told me he left because of me."

"I didn't know you had brothers and sisters, Maestro."

"The eldest was Braxton and he grew up to be a business owner. Next was Angelina and she grew up married to a hunter and had a daughter with him. I was the youngest and the most miserable. Braxton and Angelina always went off saying I was second fiddle and that's all I would ever be. They blamed me for everything bad that happened to the family. They said papa would still be with us if it wasn't for me..." Forte was obviously in pain, recollecting his childhood memories.

"I'm so sorry, Maestro..." Cherry sounded like she felt his pain.

"Not your fault, just my existence." Forte rubbed his chest as he felt sharp pains beating him up from the inside.

"I'm the youngest too, Maestro." Cherry hugged her knees.

"I'm sure you didn't have the same rough life as I did."

"Not really."

"Erm..." Forte wanted to change the subject. "How's the algebra coming along?"

"Square roots are confusing." Cherry stared at her book.

"I was very good at math, if you'd like me to help." Forte offered.

Cherry looked up at him with a smirk. It wasn't a full smile, but she grabbed the math book and put it in Forte's hands. He smiled at her and cracked the book open to see if he could help her.

"These aren't as hard as you think, Cerise."

"Math is my weakness, I know it's important, but it feels like it's tormenting me with all the numbers, and now they throw letters in and my brain can't dissolve the new information like the wet sponge my cerebellum is. My brain, heart and soul are punctured by the torment of studies and my peers which makes my life black and grave as a decaying corpse on the freeway next to the road kill which the crimson liquid mixes in with mine leaving no one to care." Cherry sighed.

Forte glanced at her. "You should be a poet..."

"Why?" Cherry snorted. "No one would read them anyway."

"I would..." Forte admitted, closing the book slowly. "You remind me of a young Sylvia Plath."

"I never read her work, but Mom says she writes about death," Cherry evilly smirked. "I love death, my life is an endless buffet and finally when I die, I shall have my money's worth of dessert."

"You shouldn't die so young, you have a lot of your life to look forward to." Forte smirked and put his hands behind his back, standing straight over her. "Maybe we should check on dinner now, hm?"

"I'll get the oven mitts for you, that crock pot is too heavy for me." Cherry walked over to the kitchen.

"Maybe I could make you dinner sometime."

"Be my guest, it'll be my funeral later..." Cherry deadpanned.

Forte shook off her little black comedy joke and set the table for dinner. Cherry held her plate for Forte to serve her the dinner of the evening. A rump roast with glazed potatoes and carrots, a traditional dinner for the family and one of Cherry's favorite dinners. Cherry was about to go back to her room, but Forte grabbed her by her hood and forced her to sit at the dinner table with him. Forte pulled out silver forks and knives and went for the glasses.

"What do you folks have to drink?" he asked.

"Apple juice, Coke, water and ice tea." Cherry replied as she stared at her plate, waiting for him. "I'll take apple juice."

"Nice choice." Forte smiled and poured her a glass and took a glass of warm tea. As he glanced at the tea, he softly chuckled.

"What's up?" Cherry asked as she cut her meat and glazed barbecue sauce all over it.

Forte turned to her. "Tea just makes me think of Mrs. Potts sometimes... She always did have a great recipe."

"Yeah, it was pretty nice tea," Cherry said flatly. "She made me hot tea with honey when I was sick with you guys."

"I'm sorry you were sick, I wish I could've done something."

"Why bother? I didn't want to recover, I just wanted to die in bed right then."

"Cerise, stop talking like that."

"I can't help it," Cherry replied. "It's my dark, tormented human nature."

"I'm dark and tormented too, but you don't hear me complain." Forte sipped the tea and smiled. "This tea is as heavenly as your mother..."

"Meh." Cherry shrugged.

Forte glared at her for shrugging.

"Oh, sorry." Cherry noticed his glare.

"It's fine, Cerise." Forte sighed.

After a couple of servings of dinner, Cherry was full and happy for once. Cherry and Forte finished her homework together and she was free for an hour or two before bed now. Cherry had on a late show and was in her pajamas and waited for 10:00 to strike and she would go to bed. The perky goth and the court composer didn't speak for the rest of the evening and then Cherry went to bed for the evening. Forte tucked her in and kissed her on the cheek while she was fast asleep, dreaming of grayness and torture in the world. He walked out the door, gently closed the door and felt happy she was a little bit happier, even if she didn't show it very much.


	7. The Crush

Cherry slept fine for the first time in ages and wasn't even crying in her sleep. She didn't wake up until her alarm rung her awake and Cherry sat up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes and didn't want to wake up, but managed to stay awake. She did her usual morning routine, brushing her teeth, dressing up, packing her bag, and combing her wild, thick hair. Cherry heard her parents still asleep in their room, shrugged it off and just went outside at her bus stop. While there, Forte went to her after collecting his morning paper.

"Bon matin, Cerise, how did you sleep last night?" he greeted with a warm smile.

"I slept like a baby, but I didn't cry or anything normal." Cherry replied.

Forte smiled at her.

"What?" Cherry glared.

"Uhmm... Cerise... We had dinner together last night and I was wondering..." Forte rubbed his arm anxiously. "I was wondering if... if... I could make you dinner sometime?"

Cherry shrugged with a sincere smile. "That would be interesting, thank you, Maestro."

"Sure." Forte smirked.

"I'll see you at school, right?"

Forte nodded. "I expect you to be on your best behavior for me as your teacher, Cerise."

"Okay." Cherry responded. The bus was then coming for her. "I better get going."

"See you soon." Forte waved.

Cherry got on the bus, the doors closed and it drove off to take her to school. Forte sharply sighed and licked his lips. "Such a beautiful, delicate little creature... She shall be mine... or she will suffer..."

It had been a few hours in school and Cherry was passing by numerous students, but none of them were friends or even acquaintances. There were smart aleck boys who had noticed her closeness with Forte and they mocked her mercilessly. They called him her boyfriend and other nasty remarks.

"Shut up, you idiots." Cherry growled at them.

"Or what? Your boyfriend will give us detention?" a boy shoved her aside.

"Yeah!" another boy kicked her.

"Quit it!" Cherry yelled.

"Your boyfriend ain't here to save you." the boy with crooked teeth laughed with a snort.

"The young woman asked of you kindly to back off." Forte's voice was heard from behind the boys. The boys turned to see Forte standing right behind them with his arms crossed. He broke from the crowd and let out a hand. "Are you alright, Cerise?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine." Cherry replied, taking his cold and clammy hand and hoisting herself up.

"Cuz her boyfriend's here." one of the boys chuckled, making the other laugh.

"You're envious that I am competent, intelligent and dynamic compared to thine's inegramical behavior, art thou not?" Forte spoke, turning to them with his eyes glinting.

"What?" one of the boys asked.

"My sentiments exactly," Forte squeezed Cherry's hand. "Thou aren't as intelligent as thou claim."

The boys stared at him, feeling offended, even if they didn't understand what Maestro Forte had just told them. They just walked away and Forte turned to Cherry, bending to her height.

"Remember Cerise, you don't need to use filthy words to tell of those not smart as you, you can just confuse them with your superior dialect." Forte smirked at her.

"Thank you, Maestro." Cherry smiled, it wasn't even a half one or a smirk. Forte's heart melted and pounded seeing Cherry smile at him.

"You are so welcome, Cerise..." Forte whispered under his breath. "Now, you better get to class, I'll see you in music soon enough." he walked off, his buckled shoes clicking and clacking against the ivory tiles of the school hallway. Forte glanced back at her and sighed sharply like he nervous as a school boy. Cherry made his heart go wild, his hands shake and sweat, his knees even shook around her. His stomach turned on the inside into knots filled with a group of butterflies. He looked on his tail coat and noticed some strands of Cherry's dark brown hair and smiled. He looked around to make sure he was alone and took a deep inhale and kept the lock of hair in his pocket. "Cerise, you silly, naïve, delicate, miserable as black angel of death... Sil vous plait, just notice me to be your cher ami... Hopefully more..."

Forte had never been fond of the emotion of love. He found it to be vile and useless due to having broken hearts in the past. He was madly in love with a woman named Aimee and once he earned the courage to tell her, he had caught her on her wedding day to another man named Maurice. He once thought he found the perfect soul mate for himself, a woman named Dawn, but when she spent the night with him, she bled him dry. Quite literally too, she bit his neck, took his blood and left, licking the crimson, juicy liquid from her sharp, dagger like nails. But now, Forte was indeed in love for once in his life, even if the target was a little young for him. He didn't care, he just had to keep her as his and his alone. But what could he do with her being his student and him as her teacher? At least she accepted his dinner invitation and that would have to do for now. Enough of that, back to business.


End file.
